ECC students dive into fall activities
Tuesday / October 27, 2015
By Dr. Martin Reimer
Dr. Martin Reimer, ECC Provost
There is a lot to be excited about this fall at Ellsworth Community College! Academically and athletically our students have been hard at work both on- and off-campus. Here’s what’s been happening:
On Sept. 11, 13 of our Equine students and two faculty members traveled to the World Conformation Halter Association National Breeder’s Championship Futurity at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. This was a great educational opportunity for our students to judge some of the top halter horses from all over the world, an experience that just can’t be equaled in the classroom. In addition, the students were able to network with top industry professionals.
Later in September, our ECC Horse Judging Team traveled to the Iowa Quarter Horse Breeder’s Futurity and Fall Show in Des Moines. The students got to meet four American Quarter Horse Association carded judges, who discussed rules and regulations for judging several classes. The students studied how to judge classes including Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, Western Pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Trail, Western Riding, and Showmanship with professional judges in the industry. It was another excellent learning opportunity to see top horses compete, which also gave the students a chance to practice their judging skills in a real-world environment.
Earlier this month, our Equine students hosted the State FFA Horse Judging Contest and Iowa Horse Judge’s Certification Clinic at the Ellsworth Equestrian Center on our Hamilton campus. We had hundreds of people spend an entire day learning all about horse judging. This was our first year to host the State FFA Horse Judging Contest (it was formerly at Kirkwood), and it was a great experience for our students to learn first-hand how to manage a large event.
Outside of the Equine realm, ECC Medical Assisting Instructor Dee Lynk and other staff and students celebrated Medical Assistant Recognition Week Oct. 19-23. As a new campus provost, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with each student to learn more about their studies and why they have chosen to pursue careers in Medical Assisting. They’re a dedicated and determined group!
In terms of Panther athletics, our football team is hoping to become bowl-eligible with a win Oct. 24 over Iowa Central Community College, and many of our players continue to receive ICCAC honors for their efforts on the field. Our volleyball team is looking ahead to the regional tournament, the golfers had a strong fall season, our men’s and women’s basketball teams have begun pre-season scrimmages, and wrestling season opens next month. It’s a great time to be a Panther!
Dr. Martin Reimer is the Provost of Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls.